Mineta Transportation Institute Report

F-00-1

 

 

 

Crossing the Bay

Water Transit Initiative Forum

July 29, 1999

 

 

 

Co-Sponsored by:

The Commonwealth Club of California

 and

The Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies (IISTPS)

at

San José State University

 

Technical Report Documentation Page

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72)

 

 

Copyright © 1999 by IISTPS

All rights reserved

 

 

 

 

 

To order this publication, please contact the following:

Mineta Transportation Institute

College of Business—BT550

San José State University

San Jose, CA 95192-0219

Tel (408) 924-7560

Fax (408) 924-7565

Email: iistps@iistps.cob.sjsu.edu

http://transweb.sjsu.edu

A publication of

The Norman Y. Mineta

International Institute for

Surface Transportation Policy Studies

IISTPS

Created by Congress in 1991

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

 

Crossing the Bay was co-sponsored by the California Commonwealth Club and the Mineta Transportation Institute. Thank you to the Commonwealth Club for its continuing efforts to bring before the public important issues such as the Water Transit Initiative.

 

The moderator, panelists, and those who attended the forum each deserve a thank you. Participants included

·     Randy Shandobil, KTVU Political Reporter—Moderator

·     Bonnie Cox, Co-Executive Director, Commonwealth Club, East Bay

·     Mayor Shirley Dean, Berkeley, CA

·     Rod Diridon, Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute

·     Dr. Gloria Duffy, Chief Executive Officer, Commonwealth Club of California

·     Dennis Fay, Executive Director, Alameda County Congestion Management Agency

·     Russell Long, Executive Director, Bluewater Network

·     Mayor Gus Morrison, Fremont, CA

·     Sean Randolph, President, Bay Area Economic Forum

 

Thank you to editor John C. Doiron III, M.A.; Student Assistants Amy Yan and Cathy Frazier, George Dobbins, Program Director, Commonwealth Club; Trixie Johnson, Research Director, Jeanne Dittman, Communications Manager, and the Mineta Transportation Institute staff for bringing Crossing the Bay to print.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ForEward................... 1

 

EXECUTIve Summary 3

 

INTRODUCTIONS.......... 7

 

OPENING REMARKS................. 13

 

FORUM DISCUSSION.............. 25

 

Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Terms... 43

 

Related Literature.............. 45

  Text of Senate Resolution 19                                                             47

  Text of Senate Bill 428                                                                      49

 

pre-publication review................. 61

 

 

ForEward

The Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies (also known as the Mineta Transportation Institute) has been fortunate to receive funding, through the federal Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), to conduct policy-related activities in the areas of research, education, and information-sharing to benefit the United States (U.S.) surface transportation industry.

The Commonwealth Club of California is instrumental in bringing issues to the public by hosting discussions about topics such as business, transportation, education, and technology.

The Mineta Transportation Institute teamed up with the Commonwealth Club to co-sponsor Crossing the Bay: Water Transit Initiative Forum. The Institute has created a one-sheet summary of the event. For those interested in reading more, we have transcribed the majority of the forum discussion.

While the Mineta Transportation Institute's focus is on surface transportation, we felt compelled to be a part of a forum on water transit because of the implications it has on commuters and other users of surface transportation. Water transit efforts, while distinct, can be a viable part of a seamless transit system.

Included in this publication is a copy of Senate Resolution No. 19, which is the adopted legislature that resolved to "make a careful study of the feasibility of expanded water transport on the San Francisco Bay."

Since the Crossing the Bay Forum in July of 1999, a new bill, SB428 Transportation: San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority Bill, was proposed. The bill, approved by the Governor on October 10, 1999, repeals the authority of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to adopt a long-range plan for implementing high-speed water transit on the San Francisco Bay. The bill creates the San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority whose board of directors is tasked to prepare and adopt a San Francisco Bay area water transit implementation and operations plan, and to operate a comprehensive bay area regional public water transit system, as prescribed. A copy of the verbiage of SB428 follow is included at the end of this publication.

Rod Diridon, Executive Director—Mineta Transportation Institute

EXECUTIve Summary

This year the Commonwealth Club and IISTPS joined together to deliver information to the public about the Bay Area Water Transit Initiative. The main event was a forum, Crossing the Bay, held in July 1999. This publication, a transcript and summary of the July forum, is a next step in the information transfer effort.

George Dobbins of the Commonwealth Club brought together an expert panel consisting of:

·     Randy Shandobil, KTVU Political Reporter—Moderator

·     Bonnie Cox, California Commonwealth Club—East Bay

·     Mayor Shirley Dean, Berkeley, CA

·     Rod Diridon, Executive Director, IISTPS

·     Dr. Gloria Duffy, Chief Executive Officer, Commonwealth Club

·     Dennis Fay, Executive Director, Alameda County Congestion Management Agency

·     Russell Long, Executive Director, Bluewater Network

·     Mayor Gus Morrison, Fremont, CA

·     Sean Randolph, President, Bay Area Economic Forum

 

With a public audience, the panel discussed the issues involved in the use of expanded ferry service to relieve congestion in the San Francisco Bay area.

The debate had begun years before. The Bay Area Council and the Bay Area Economic Forum held a number of symposia, interviews, and fact-finding sessions in 1996 and 1997. Their efforts, along with the efforts of Mr. Ronald H. Cowan, Chairman and CEO, Doric Group ultimately resulted in the Bay Area Water Transit Initiative. 

In August of 1997 Senator Barbara Lee introduced Senate Resolution 19 (SR19). The resolution, unanimously adopted on September 8, 1997, resolved that, "it is in the best interests of the state to make a careful study of the feasibility of expanded water transport on the San Francisco Bay."  It went on to resolve that, "the Senate of the State of California endorses the leadership of the Bay Area Council and the Bay Area Economic Forum in forming a Blue Ribbon Advisory Task Force to report recommendations for the improvement or expansion of water transport on the San Francisco Bay.”  

The Blue Ribbon Task Force, consisting of 52 top-ranking officials of various public and private groups, was formed as directed. Ronald Cowan served as Chair; Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown were Co-Vice Chairs.

After much research and analysis, the Blue Ribbon Task Force presented its recommendations in the Bay Area Water Transit Initiative report dated February 1999. The full text of the report can currently be found on the Bay Area Council's web site at http://www.bayareacouncil.org/ . A summary of the initiative appears as Appendix A of this report.

For the July Crossing the Bay forum, Randy Shandobil, a political reporter for an Oakland television station, served as moderator. As listed above, an expert panel was brought together to discuss this controversial topic. A review of the transcript shows that the panel reflected many of the varied positions this initiative has prompted. Sean Randolph and Mayor Shirley Dean are in favor of the initiative, while Mayor Gus Morrison, and Russell Long are not. In addition, during the forum, Russell Long stated that Tom Ammiano, President of the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors has withdrawn his support. He also informed the audience that a number of environmental groups withdrew their support. The groups mentioned include the Audubon Society, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Save San Francisco Bay Association, Sierra Club and the Bluewater Network. Dennis Fay supports further analysis with an effort that would target specific corridors.

After the panelists' introductory statements, discussion ensued. Randy Shandobil steered the discussion via his own questions and questions from the audience.

The topic of Bay Area congestion is huge, the issues many. The Crossing the Bay forum was not intended to resolve the issues. It did, however, bring many of them to the forefront in public discussion. Concerns mentioned and issues discussed during the forum included, but were not limited to

• Congestion relief
• Cost-effectiveness
• Creation of a super authority
• Earthquake recovery
• Effectiveness
• Environmental effects
• Full vs. incremental investment and expansion
• Need for a comprehensive world-class transportation system
• Parking
• Pollution
• Port locations
• Priorities
• Role and impact of ferries
• Smooth transportation connections between modes
• Will the ferry plan work?

 

The major concerns appear to be regarding environmental issues and cost-effectiveness. One concern raised is that ferry pollution was alleged to be worse then automobiles and other transportation modes. This is met with the suggestion that technological advances will catch up with the plan and engine efficiency and cleanliness improved. Other concerns are the technical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the proposed ferry systems. Will they do the job of relieving congestion better than any other alternatives? Are there viable alternatives?

 

Undoubtedly, debate, analysis, and planning will continue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTIONS

July 29, 1999

 

dR. Gloria dUFFY:

 

When I was in Washington, the first thing everybody would talk about was the traffic. It was that high on everyone’s consciousness. How did you get there? How long did it take? What were the particular traffic stories of that day? And I knew that the Bay Area had passed some kind of a milestone, although a negative milestone, a couple of years ago when the same thing started happening here. Everywhere you go, everybody’s talking about the traffic, and in every region of the Bay Area, from the Sunol Grade, to the Bay Bridge, to the Silicon Valley where I live.

On a much less trivial level than cocktail party conversation, traffic and commuting is increasingly consuming productive work hours by the Bay Area work force. It is adding to the stress of people, their families with whom members of the work force have less time, and it is increasing pollution in the Bay Area. If we don’t manage this issue adequately, we are going to find that we will ultimately drive companies away from the Bay Area, from locating in the Bay Area and that will hurt our regional economy.

We have a very unique resource here in the Bay Area, like a few other cities in the world—Hong Kong comes to mind—in that we are situated around a large body of water. We have therefore, some real possibilities for water transport across the bay.

A number of organizations are working very hard to create a plan for high-speed water transit on the bay, particularly the Bay Area Economic Forum and the Bay Area Council.

Our purpose tonight is to analyze and evaluate that plan which has been put out on the table by these organizations: Is it the best alternative for dealing with our congestion problems in the Bay Area? Is it affordable? Will it offer a net benefit in terms of dollars and environment as related to other ways of spending our transportation money and fitting our priorities? How do we get from here to there, from where we are now to implementing a plan like this? What steps are needed?

One could have predicted years ago, that we would find ourselves in this position here in the Bay Area, with regard to transit, and a few people did predict this. One of them was Rod Diridon, former Chair of MTC, ABAG, and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. He has been a long-time advocate for mass transit in the Bay Area. I would like to now turn the meeting over to him, as head of the co-sponsoring organization, the Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University. He would also like to welcome you.

Rod Diridon:

 

Thank you Dr. Duffy.

I’ll be very brief and say first that it is a pleasure to have all of you here, and it is a pleasure to be here and for the Mineta Transportation Institute to be a co-sponsor.

I should note that in a bit of preparation, economic viability of a nation really depends on efficient transportation more than any other individual variable. More than 25 percent of a product’s cost is associated with transportation, and it is the most controllable element of that product’s cost. When you have a transportation system in a metropolitan area which begins to bog down, that jeopardizes the viability of that economic area to compete in the world market. And indeed, the Bay Area is in the process of reaching terminal gridlock rather quickly.

Our most under-utilized mode of transportation has to be water-borne transportation. We are developing mass-transportation systems. They aren’t here yet, but they’re are in process of development. We have massive highway systems which have bottlenecks and are badly over-congested. We have those systems, but our water-borne transportation systems are just “bits and pieces,” though they have the potential of carrying much, much more people and products than they are now. So if we’re looking at economic viability in terms of world competitiveness and employment; if we’re looking at environmental sustainability, then we have to use all of the tools in that carpenter’s chest of transportation tools, and certainly water-borne transportation is one of those tools.

Sean and Shirley, Gus, Dennis and Russell, understand those tools. I think they are going to be able to guide us through a conversation today that will help us understand the application and proper use of those tools. It may be that at the conclusion of this, we will be able to come forward with some ideas that will help policy-makers throughout the Bay Area and in Sacramento to begin developing a consenus course of action on water-borne transit for the Bay Area.

So thank you Gloria and to the Commonwealth Club for sponsoring this event. Thank you to the Bay Area Council, and the Bay Area Economic Forum for providing the background information and developing the plans.

dR. Gloria dUFFY:

 

Now, let me introduce Bonnie Cox, who is the Co-Executive Director of the Commonwealth Club, East Bay, here in the East Bay. This is the first in the series of panels around the Bay Area on the high-speed water-transit plan. Bonnie will lead this discussion and introduce the moderator and  panelists. Bonnie Cox.

 

Bonnie Cox: 

 

Thank you.

It is my pleasure to welcome everyone here on behalf of the Commonwealth Club, East Bay. I want to extend a special welcome to any new members that are joining us today. And if you are not a member of the Commonwealth Club, please take a moment to consider membership. We do have staff available to assist you with any questions you might have.

Tonight’s program is being taped for later broadcast on station KALW – 91.7, which carries club programs each Friday at noon.

There are question cards on your chairs tonight which will be collected throughout the program for the question and answer period.

Tonight’s program, as you know, is the first in a three-part series on the proposed Water Transit Initiative. Watch for programs in Silicon Valley and San Francisco in the early fall.

Now I’ll pause for a moment as we begin taping our program for the radio broadcast.

Good-evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to today’s meeting of the Commonwealth Club of California and the Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies, brought to you from the Association of Bay Area Governments’ Metro Center in downtown Oakland.

 I am Bonnie Cox, Co-Executive Director of the Commonwealth Club, East Bay. We invite all of our listeners here and on radio to join the Commonwealth Club on the world-wide web at www.commonwealthclub.org.

And now, it is my pleasure to introduce tonight’s program.

The San Francisco Bay Area is a wonderful place to live, but it is not a fun place to commute. And the problem is only getting worse as traffic congestion is projected to increase by 250 percent in the next 20 years.

One solution to the daily grid-lock currently being “floated” does indeed involve water.

The Bay Area Water Transit Initiative proposes a dramatic increase in ferry service on San Francisco Bay and an authority to supervise it. A bill is currently moving through the State Legislature, and with us today are some of the key people grappling with the issues related to water transit.

Panelists

Sean Randolph is President of the Bay Area Economic Forum, a non-profit, public–private partnership of business, government, academic, labor, and community leaders. The Forum works to foster a dynamic and competitive economic environment, and to enhance the overall quality of life in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is one of the creators of the Water Transit Initiative.

Our next panelist, Shirley Dean, was elected Mayor of Berkeley in 1994, and was re-elected in 1998. She is a member of the Water Transit Task Force, and is actively involved in a wide range of commissions and partnerships in the East Bay, many of which are related to transportation issues.

Gus Morrison describes himself as Fremont’s first recycled mayor, since he served two terms between 1985 and 1989 prior to his current occupation of the office which began in 1994. He has also served on many transportation committees, including the Association of Bay Area Governments Regional Planning Committee.

Dennis Fay is currently the Executive Director of the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency, which was created in response to voter approval of Proposition 111 in 1990. He has 30 years of experience in the transportation field.

Our final panelist is Russell Long, Executive Director of the Blue Water Network, which fights against pollution from watercraft and works with the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce pollution.

Now I would like to turn our program over to our moderator, Randy Shandobil, Political Reporter for KTVU-Fox, Channel 2. Mr. Shandobil has covered every type of event, from the O.J. Simpson trial, to the Unibomber, and has won numerous awards, including six Emmys.

Randy.

Randy Shandobil: 

Thank you, Bonnie.

One of the unfortunate realities of life in the Bay Area is that one of the things that makes it such a wonderful place to live is the same thing that makes it such a terrible place to commute—the water. Because of the bay, and because San Francisco is a peninsula, there are only a few ways in and out, and we all know that those few ways are often very slow ways.

Another unfortunate reality about life in the Bay Area is that another one of those things that makes it such a wonderful place to live could be in jeopardy. By big-city standards, we have pretty good air quality here, but can it last if congestion gets much worse?

So tonight we are here to discuss the pros and cons of what on the surface seems to be a very attractive alternative—a new fleet of ferries. Sounds like a dream-come-true—a magic cruise across the Bay beats a jam at the toll plaza any day, right? Well, it’s not that simple, and we’re about to hear why.

We’ll have some opening remarks starting with Mr. Randolph.

 

 

 

OPENING REMARKS

 

Sean Randolph: 

Thank you very much, Randy.

Let me give you just five minutes on the initiative, what thinking went behind it, and exactly what the contents of the proposal are.

About two years ago, the California State Senate asked the Bay Area Council and the Bay Area Economic Forum to organize and manage a task force that would come up with recommendations for a new water transit system for San Francisco Bay. That led to the creation of the Bay Area Transit Task Force that had about 50 members drawn from a range of civic leaders: city council members, county supervisors, water transit operators, environmentalists, and recreational boaters. It was a very, very inclusive process designed to draw-in every point of view that could be brought into this issue.

That task force held deliberations for a period of about one year, maybe 14 months. Its own meetings were public forums that anybody could participate in and observe. There were seven open forums for public comment, held throughout the Bay Area in different parts of the region. There were consultations with civic officials, transit operators, and a wide range of interested individuals. The result of that was a recommendation that was released last April 28 to create a Bay Area Water Transit Authority that would be tasked with the job of coming up with more detailed analysis.

The analysis was to include environmental impact reviews, analysis of technology, and analysis of the market demand for different kinds of routes, that would lead to a next phase of actual implementation and building of such a system.

There was legislation, which you just heard, making its way through the state legislature to do exactly that.

The report also laid out the conceptual design of that system. For that we had the assistance of consulting engineers working on the project. The basic approach that the task force took, was that this program needed to operate from critical mass. In other words, it would not do to do an incremental approach, add a route here, add a route there, expand service some on existing lines at the margins. The goal of this project is to have a significant impact on regional congestion and on regional mobility, and to take a very significant number off of roads and bridges and put them on the water.

The plan involves two phases:

Phase 1, which is what we call “Critical Mass”—the point you reach that level of impact on mobility—would involve 20 to 30 terminals, including terminals going to the airports and the ball park, and a fleet of up to 70 vessels of various configurations, depending on the routes. It would cover about 440 passenger miles within the region and would move 15 to 20 million passengers per year. That would be built, conceptually by 2010.

By 2020, the proposal foresees a full build-out of this system with  35 to 40 terminals, up to 120 vessels—again of different types—that would move 25 to 30 million passengers per year. The performance criteria built into the proposal were to

1)      relieve congestion and impact regional mobility—which is why we’re talking about critical mass and not an incremental approach at the margins,

2)